Thread holding and cutting means for sewing-machines.



J. KIEWICZ. THREAD. HOLDING AND CUTTING MEANS FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC17| 1914.

Patented N W. 14, 1916.

]. KIEWICZ.

THREAD HOLDING AND CUTTING MEANS FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 0507,1914.

Patented Nov, 14, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- J. KIEWICZ. THREAD HOLDING AND CUTTING MEANS FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7. I914.

1,20%,784. Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

, iinrrnn STATES PATENT orFIcE. q

JOHN K IEWICZ, OF HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE REIEK'JIIEI BUTTON HOLE maonnvr.v comramz, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A

MAINE.

THREAD HOLDING AND CUTTING MEANS EOE SEWING-MACHINES.

naoavsa.

To all whom it may concern:

Park, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful -Improvements in Thread Holding and Cutting Means for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to thread holding and cutting means for sewing machines;

The objects of the present invention include the providing upon a sewing machine of a simple and efiective device adapted to engage and hold the thread, especially for permitting the thread to be cut at the end of a seam and the thread end retained in suitable position for commencing a new seam. I

It is a' further object hereof to provide such a thread retaining device which operates automatically after the completion of a seam.

lltis: another object hereof to automatically effect the cutting of the thread after the formation of the seam. v

In a complete sense the object is to en. gage andretain the thread automatically at the end of a seam and to also automatically cut the.thread leaving the thread end held by the retaining device in readiness for the commencement of anew seam.

To the attainment of the objects referred to, the present invention consists in the novel parts, devices, combinations and other features described or disclosed in the accompanying description or drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate two different embodiments of the present invention, it being understood that these are merely illustrative, and that the principles involved may be embodied in widely varying embodiments.

In, the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view 'ofthe machine seen in Fig. 2. Fig. 2v is a left elevation of a sewing'machine to. which the present invention has been applied; or rather, so much of such machine as is essential for a description of the present invention; the work clamp being shown in its position before the insertion of the work. Fig. 3 is a partial plan view Specification of Letters Patent. Pat t N .14, 191

Application filed December 7,1914. Serial No. 875,805.

showing particular parts of the machine of Fig. 2 concerned with the present improvement. Fig. 4 is a left elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan view on an enlarged scale'of the thread'retaining and cutting device-hereof, with the thread or different embodiment of the improvement; Figs. 8, 9 and lO corresponding respectively with Figs. 3, 4 and 5; Fig. 11

CORPORATION OE being a bottom plan view, and :Figs. 12 and 13 corresponding with Figs. 6 and 7 of the first embodiment.

I will'first refer. to some of the well" known sewing machine parts involved or illustrated herein. port is provided. this comprising a plate 20 over which the cloth, leather or other work- The stitching mechanism of the machine includes various well known parts such as the needle carrier or bar 22 carrying the needle 23 and other usual concomitant parts, for example, under needle, looper', operating shafts, cams, etc, all of which may be borne upon a frame 21 in such a way that. the

needle carrier may'be vibrated to engage A work holder or supthe "thread w repeatedly with the work for the formation of stitches. The frame 21 may .have various characteristics in form and function. It is shown as including an overhanging arm of generally wellknown form. The frame carrying the stitching mechanism may, be relatively fixed upon the bed of the machine or may be movable.

Feed of the work-for the purpose of advancing it to form a seamas the stitching proceeds may be effected in different ways, providing for relative travel as between the work and the stitching mechanism. As

shown herein this is "-efl 'ected by'providing a .work clamp comprising an upperi clamp member 24 which may be ppposed by a porti-on 28 of-the plate 20 so as to retain the work securely upon the work holder orsupporting plate 20. By then providing for a relative clamp movement with respect to the stitching frame the feed issecured. The work holder and the stitching frame are shown relatively horizontally movable and either may be moved with respect to the base of the machine for the purposes referred to.

The present improvement may be applied to a machine wherein the formation of the .seam is continued and discontinued at will or, on the other hand, to a machine such as a buttonhole machine wherein a predetermined length of seam is formed,.the stitching automatically ceasing at the proper point. The drawings show the invention as applied generally to the latter type of machine and as the general features and operation thereof are well understood, the machine, as a .whole, is only partly or conventionally illustrated. For further illustration of details reference may be had to prior U. S. Patent No. 680,192, patented August 6th, 1901, and to the earlier patents referred to therein. Therelative movement for the purposes of feed is secured in the prior patent enumerated by reason of an actual traveling movement of thestitch frame 21 carrying the needle 23 and other stitching parts, while the work 3 is held stationarily clamped between the clamping members 24 and 28; and for convenience the machine illustrated herein may be'considered as of such construction.

The upper clamp member or movable clamp 24 is shown as carried at the forward end of an arm 25, pivoted at 26, the carrying arm having a downwardly extending portion 27 by which its opening and closing movements may be effected.

Generally speaking the elements 20 to 28 above enumerated are well known.

7 The present invention involves, in combination' with the work holder 20 and the recip'rocating under needle carrier 22, the new device hereof generally indicated at- 31, located between.- the work holder and the needle carrier, the new device having thread retaining functions or thread cutting functions, or both. Considered as to its thread retaining function, the device 31 comprises a thread retainer of a character adapted to engage with the thread portion that extends between the work and the needle by the act of the thread entering the retainer, and combined therewith is means for causing at jhe end of the stitching of a seam a .relative movement between the retainer and such thread portion to cause the thread to enter and to be retained by the retainer. Considered as to its function as a thread cutter, the device 31 comprises a knife or cutting tool which, at the end of the stitching of a seam is given a relative movement with respect to the thread so a to cause the latter to be cut. The two functions, namely, the thread retaining and cutting functions of the device 31, cooperate so that by the mere relative movement referred to and without the need of special cams for manipulating the thread retainer and thread cutter, the thread, after the seam is completed, is caused to'enter the retainer and by the same entering movement to be cut by the cutter between the retainer and the work, the thread sup-ply end being held by the retainer in readiness for the commencement of a new seam.

The new combined thread retainer and cutting device 31 is shown as carried at the front end of an arm 32 as a means of support, the arm being adjacent to, and, for convenience, attached to the upper work clamp member 25 in the operative position illustrated.

It will be understood that the relative movement referred to, between the device 31 and the thread portion extending from'the work to the needle is effected, as previously indicated, by the relative movement betweenthe frame 21 and the plate or workholder 20. For example, in the prior patents the stitch frame 21 moves bodily forwardly and rearwardly, it having, after the stitching is completed, an additional forward movementwhich carries the thread relatively forward so that the thread may pass into and be held and cut by the device 31.

The arm 32 may be immovably secured to the work clamp member 25 by a screw and pin device 33, as in Figs. 3 to 7. It may be, on the other hand, pivoted at 34 as in Figs. 8 to 13, to a block 35 carried on the underhanging portion 2'? of the clamp member, in which case a spring latch 36 may be employed to properly position the arm 32. This arrangement permits the arm 32 to be swung from its operative position to one side as seen in Fig. 8, to permit better access to the stitching point.

I will now describe the details ofthe device 31 which combines the functions of retaining and cutting the thread.

The thread is retained by a thread retaining or gripping means or device 40 which .4

might take different forms but is of a character adapted to .engage with the thread by the mere act of the thread entering the device. For example, the retaining device 40 may consist of a light spring suitably bent so portions may be non-integral, as in Figs. 8 to 13, the jaw 42 and its shank 43 being shown opposed to a rigidblock 44 provided at theextremity of the carrying; arm 32.

In either embodiment the spring member may be held in place by reason 'ofan integral flange 46. This in Figs. 3 to 7 is shown encompassed between theupper and lower extremities 47 of the carrying arm 32, which is horizontally slit for the purpose, a clamp screw 48 serving to hold the parts rigidly in place;while in Figs. 8 to 13 the flange 46 is .difierentlyformed, and is held directly against the vertical side of the arm 32 by the clamp screw 48.

As seen in Figs. 3 and 8, the retaining device 40 is directly in the line taken by the needle and thread in the relative fore and aft movement of the latter so that when the workholder with the clamp and the retaining device move rearwardly, or the needle and thread move forwardly, the thread will pass into the entrance 41 and thereby engage between the aws 42, 42, as seen in Figs. 5 to 7, or between the jaw 42 and the block 44, as seen in Figs. 10 to 13. The stretched condition or tension of the thread, assisted by the thread controlling device, seen at the top and ,at the bottom of the needle carrier 22, or

other suitable devices, holds it sufliciently taut to enable it to force its way into the entrance 41- between the yieldingly pressed jaws so as to become engaged and retained as described; the thread not being, however, clamped in a positive way to prevent disengagement, but only held yieldingly so that on starting a new scam the thread is able to be pulled out of the retainer.

The thread cutting device or means is shown in the form of a mere blade or knife 50, for convenience of approximately semicircular form, as clearly seen in Fig. 5, its edge 51 toward the thread being beveled and sharpened. The cutting edge -51 is set on an incline to the direction in which the thread enters the retaining device 40, giving a most efiective cutting action.

The cutting knife in the modification of Figs. 3 to 7 is rigidly held in place merely by being set between the under extremity 47 of the carrying arm 32 and the flange 46 of the,

spring thread retainer so that when the f clamping screw 48 is tightened it securely holds all the parts in the position shown. In the modification of Figs. 8 to 13 the knife 50 has an attaching extension 52 underlying the supporting arm 32 andsecured there by apair of attaching screws 53.

While twomodifications have beendescribed, the first having the advantage of greater simplicity, andthe second the capability of being swung open, both of them and many other embodiments have the same general functions and operation. In each case when the stitching is done and the thereupon severs the thread while the retainer 40 continues to hold the loose supply end of the thread. The cutting and retaining of the thread are performed above the Work, between it and the needle, and either close to the surface of the work or substantially thereabove as shown.

As applied to a buttonhole stitching machine of the movable stitch frame type, the complete operation may be as follows: A buttonhole cutter is supposed to cut a button hole in the work while the stitch frame stands-in its normal position. In this position the needle bar is located relatively in front'of, that is to the right of the work clamp and device 31, as seen in Figs. 3, 4, 8 and '9. Immediately after the button hole is cut the stitch frame shifts rearwardly until the needle stands to the rear, that is to the left, of the device 31, and thereupon the stitching is commenced and proceeds until the buttonhole has been stitched around its edge. At the completion of the stitching operation the needle and the thread stand vertically in a position to the rear or left of the device 31, opposite the entrance 41 of the retainin device 40. The final operation is the shiftlng forward of the frame with the needle to the normal or initial position as indicated by the dotted lines inFigs. 3, 4, 8 and 9. During this movement the thread, which is held taut by the usual thread controlling devices, moves into the entrance 41 and becomes yieldingly squeezed and retained by the device 40. After engaging in the retaining device the thread is moved against the cutting device 50. This is effected by the same movement which enters the thread into the retaining. device. The knife cuts the threa d end a suitable distance above the work and below the retaining device. This leaves a slight loose thread end above the work while the retaining device holds. the end of the supply thread below the needle. At the end of the final shifting movement referred to the entire machine comes to rest waiting-to be restarted for the stitching of another button hole. In the type of machine referred to an under thread is engaged with the described upper thread in the formation of stitches. The present improvement is shown only as applied to the cutting of the upper thread. The subsequent operations of the machine naturally cause the under thread to pull the loose end of the upper thread through the work, thus eliminating any objectionable visible thread end. When stitching a subsequent buttonhole the supply thread end held llO this is secured by the extremely simple attachment shown which involves no working parts whatsoever, but in substance nothing more than the support or arm 32 carrying the retaining device 40 and the cutting device 50, all passive in their function and op- -'erating by reason of the ordinary natural movements of the machine.

It will thus be seen that I have described embodiments constructed and operated upon the principles and attaining the advantages before referred to, and other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Since many matters of detail, design, ar-

rangement'and combination may be varied without departing from the novelprinciples involved, no restrictions to such features is intended except so far as set forth in the ap pended claims.

What is claimed is:- 7

l. A buttonhole or analogous stitching machine including in combination a stitchframe and a work-clamp constituting relatively movable elements, a needle and needlemachine includingin combination a stitch actuating mechanism supported by said stitch-frame, means for shifting one of said relatively movable .elements, and a device operated by s'aidishifting for cutting the thread between the work and needle, said device consisting of an elongated holder having two opposite side pieces with converging entranc between them for the thread, and a cutter blade having its cutting edge arranged transversely across the opposed edges of the side pieces of said holder to act upon theentering thread.

2. A buttonhole, or analogous stitching frame and a work-clamp constituting relatively movable elements, a needle and needleactuating mechanism supported by said stitch-frame, automatic'means for shifting one of-said relatively movable elements at the completion of a seam, and a device operated by said shifting for cutting the thread between-the work and needle, said device consisting of an elongated holder having two oppositeside pieces with converging entrance between them for the thread, and 'a cutter blade having its cutting edge arranged transversely across the opposed edges of the side'pieces of said holder to, act upon the entering thread.-

3. A buttonhole or analogous stitching machine includingin combination a stitchframe and a work-clamp constituting relatively movable elements, a needle and needleactuating mechanism supported by said stitch-frame, automatic means for shifting one of said relatively movable elements at the completion of a seam, and a cutter mounted stationarily on one of said elements in position to cut the thread between the work and needle upon such shifting at the completion of a seam, and means for holding the thread between the needle and cutting point after such cutting, said cuttingand holding means consisting of an elongated holder having two opposite side pieces with converging entrance between them for the thread, and a cutter blade having its cutting edge arranged transversely across the opposed edges of theside pieces of said holder to act upon the entering thread.

4. A buttonhole or analogous stitching machine including in combination a stitchframe and a work-clamp constituting relatively movable elements, a needle and needleactuating mechanism supported by said stitch-frame, means for shifting one of said relatively movable elements, and a device tively movable elements,-a needle and needleactuating mechanism supported by said stitch-frame, automatic means for shifting one of said relatively movable elements at the completion of a seam, and a device operated by said shifting .for cutting and hold-v ing the thread between the work and needle,

said device consisting of an-elongated holder having two opposite side pieces with converging entrance between them for the thread, and a cutter blade having its cutting edge'arranged transversely across the opposed edges of the side pieces of said holder to act'upon the entering thread. a

6. A buttonhole-or analogous stitching machine including in combination a stitchframe and a.work-clamp constituting relatively movable elements,a needle and needleactuating mechanism supported by said stitch-frame, automatic means for shifting one of said relatively movable elements at the completion of a seam, and a thread cutter-and-holder mounted stationarily on'one of said elements in proper position so as to be operated by said shifting for cutting and holding the thread between the'work and V needle, said cutting andholding means consisting of an elongated holder having two opposite side pieces with converging entrance between them for the thread, and a cutter blade having its cutting edge arranged transversely across the opposed edges of the side pieces of said holder to v act upon the entering thread.

7. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination a stitch-frame and a work-clamp constituting relatively movable elements, a needle and needle-actuating mechanism supported by said stitch-frame, feeding means for automatically shifting one of said relatively movable elements during the stitching and for giving it an additional jump after the completion of the buttonhole, and'a device carried by one of said elements for cutting and holding the thread between the work and needle, operated by reason of said jump after the stitching is completed, said device consisting of an elongated holder having two opposite side pieces with converging entrance between them for the thread, and a cutter blade having its cutting edge arranged transversely across the opposed edges of the side pieces of said holder to act upon the entering thread.

In testimony whereof, I'have aflixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN KIEWIOZ.

Witnesses:

J. WARREN NICHOLS, THOMAS J. CARTY. 

